Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of Sketchandtravel and Bookpleasures is honored to have as our guest author and writer, Sally Wendkos Olds.

Sally has written about family, children, women, relationships, sexuality, psychology, health, and travel, and has authored several books.

Sally has also contributed articles to: McCall's, Ms., New York Times Magazine, Redbook, Woman's Day, and many other major publications.

In 1993 Sally and artist Margaret Roche trekked to the remote village of Badel located in the eastern hills of Nepal. They were the first western women to go there.

Norm:

Sally, could you tell our readers something about yourself and why you wanted to trek to Badel? How many times have you returned since your first trip?

Sally:

I had trekked in Nepal twice before with my husband, Mark, who was fulfilling a boyhood dream by going there. In 1987 we went to the Annapurna region and in 1991 to the Everest area, and I fell in love with this little Himalayan kingdom.

I became entranced by the remarkable sweetness and cheerfulness of the Nepali people. In spite of their poverty and hard lives, none of the Nepalis I had met showed bitter, hostile, or even resigned faces to the world. I wanted to learn more about them